Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Hoops Picked Fifth in MAC Preseason Poll
11/4/2021 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Redshirt senior Areanna Combs was named a preseason All-MAC first team selection
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team was selected fifth overall in the Mid-American Conference's preseason coaches poll, released today, Nov. 4.
The league's head coaches take part in the poll, with each providing their predicted order of finishing and 10 All-MAC player selections to the conference office. The results are then compiled into a point-based system to determine the final rankings.
Ohio emerged as this year's favorite to capture the regular season crown, earning 132 points and four first-place votes. The league's defending regular season champions, Bowling Green, were slotted second in the poll with 124 points and three first-place nods. Buffalo (123, 3 first-place votes) and Kent State (102) took the three and four spots, respectively, while EMU (83, 1 first-place vote) rounded out the top five. Eastern's in-state rival, Central Michigan, placed sixth in the poll, just behind the Eagles, with 80 points.
The back half of the poll included Northern Illinois (79), Toledo (67), Ball State (65, 1 first-place vote), Western Michigan (31), Miami (27), and Akron (23).
Despite finishing third overall in the polling results, it was Felisha Legette-Jack's Bulls that earned the most votes in the tournament champion prediction, with five. Ohio followed with three, while Bowling Green, last year's tournament runner-up, finished with two votes in the category. Eastern Michigan and Ball State also each received a vote.
Eastern did see a student-athlete earn representation on the preseason All-MAC teams, as redshirt senior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) earned a spot on the first team.
Combs collected Second Team All-MAC honors in 2020-21, and was also named to the MAC All-Defensive Team. Combs has been recognized on both those teams in consecutive seasons, as she was named to the respective lists following the 2019-20 season as well. In 2019-20, she became the first EMU women's player to earn either honor since the 2015-16 campaign when Cha Sweeney and Janay Morton were honored in the two categories, respectively. Combs is just the second Eagle in program history to earn all-defensive honors, and brought home the school's 18th nod on the Second Team All-MAC list in 2020-21. Last season, she was one of the top-10 scorers in league. She averaged 17.8 points per game, and has now scored in double figures in 42 of her 44 career games at Eastern.
Combs and the rest of the Eagles will officially kick off their 2021-22 season Tuesday, Nov. 9, with a home game against Youngstown State. Tipoff is slated for 12 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMUWBB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUWBB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emuwbb.
Full 2021-22 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Ohio – 132 points (4 first place votes)
2. Bowling Green – 124 points (3)
3. Buffalo – 123 points (3)
4. Kent State – 102 points
5. Eastern Michigan – 83 points (1)
6. Central Michigan – 80 points
7. Northern Illinois – 79 points
8. Toledo – 67 points
9. Ball State – 65 points (1)
10. Western Michigan – 31 points
11. Miami – 27 points
12. Akron – 23 points
MAC Tournament Champions: Buffalo (5), Ohio (3), BGSU (2), Ball State (1), EMU (1)
Preseason All-MAC First Team
Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, Junior, Guard
Molly Davis, Central Michigan, Junior, Guard
Areanna Combs, Eastern Michigan, R-Senior, Guard
Cierra (CeCe) Hooks, Ohio, Senior, Guard
Erica Johnson, Ohio, R-Junior, Guard
Preseason All-MAC Second Team
Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green, Sophomore, Guard
Nila Blackford, Kent State, Junior, Forward
Peyton Scott, Miami, Junior, Guard
Chelby Koker, Northern Illinois, Junior, Guard
Quinesha Lockett, Toledo, Junior, Guard/Forward
The league's head coaches take part in the poll, with each providing their predicted order of finishing and 10 All-MAC player selections to the conference office. The results are then compiled into a point-based system to determine the final rankings.
Ohio emerged as this year's favorite to capture the regular season crown, earning 132 points and four first-place votes. The league's defending regular season champions, Bowling Green, were slotted second in the poll with 124 points and three first-place nods. Buffalo (123, 3 first-place votes) and Kent State (102) took the three and four spots, respectively, while EMU (83, 1 first-place vote) rounded out the top five. Eastern's in-state rival, Central Michigan, placed sixth in the poll, just behind the Eagles, with 80 points.
The back half of the poll included Northern Illinois (79), Toledo (67), Ball State (65, 1 first-place vote), Western Michigan (31), Miami (27), and Akron (23).
Despite finishing third overall in the polling results, it was Felisha Legette-Jack's Bulls that earned the most votes in the tournament champion prediction, with five. Ohio followed with three, while Bowling Green, last year's tournament runner-up, finished with two votes in the category. Eastern Michigan and Ball State also each received a vote.
Eastern did see a student-athlete earn representation on the preseason All-MAC teams, as redshirt senior Areanna Combs (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Putnam City West (Oklahoma State)) earned a spot on the first team.
Combs collected Second Team All-MAC honors in 2020-21, and was also named to the MAC All-Defensive Team. Combs has been recognized on both those teams in consecutive seasons, as she was named to the respective lists following the 2019-20 season as well. In 2019-20, she became the first EMU women's player to earn either honor since the 2015-16 campaign when Cha Sweeney and Janay Morton were honored in the two categories, respectively. Combs is just the second Eagle in program history to earn all-defensive honors, and brought home the school's 18th nod on the Second Team All-MAC list in 2020-21. Last season, she was one of the top-10 scorers in league. She averaged 17.8 points per game, and has now scored in double figures in 42 of her 44 career games at Eastern.
Combs and the rest of the Eagles will officially kick off their 2021-22 season Tuesday, Nov. 9, with a home game against Youngstown State. Tipoff is slated for 12 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU women's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMUWBB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUWBB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emuwbb.
Full 2021-22 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Ohio – 132 points (4 first place votes)
2. Bowling Green – 124 points (3)
3. Buffalo – 123 points (3)
4. Kent State – 102 points
5. Eastern Michigan – 83 points (1)
6. Central Michigan – 80 points
7. Northern Illinois – 79 points
8. Toledo – 67 points
9. Ball State – 65 points (1)
10. Western Michigan – 31 points
11. Miami – 27 points
12. Akron – 23 points
MAC Tournament Champions: Buffalo (5), Ohio (3), BGSU (2), Ball State (1), EMU (1)
Preseason All-MAC First Team
Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo, Junior, Guard
Molly Davis, Central Michigan, Junior, Guard
Areanna Combs, Eastern Michigan, R-Senior, Guard
Cierra (CeCe) Hooks, Ohio, Senior, Guard
Erica Johnson, Ohio, R-Junior, Guard
Preseason All-MAC Second Team
Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green, Sophomore, Guard
Nila Blackford, Kent State, Junior, Forward
Peyton Scott, Miami, Junior, Guard
Chelby Koker, Northern Illinois, Junior, Guard
Quinesha Lockett, Toledo, Junior, Guard/Forward
Players Mentioned
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